Sunday, March 17, 2024

Tone 8

 Cheesefare Sunday (Forgiveness Sunday) – The Expulsion of Adam from Paradise

Forgiveness (Cheesefare) Sunday

Commemorated on March 17

Introduction

(GOARCH) The Sunday of Forgiveness is the last Sunday prior to the commencement of Great Lent. During the pre-Lenten period, the services of the Church include hymns from the Triodion, a liturgical book that contains the services from the Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee, the tenth before Pascha (Easter), through Great and Holy Saturday. On the Sunday of Forgiveness focus is placed on the exile of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden, an event that shows us how far we have fallen in sin and separated ourselves from God. At the onset of Great Lent and a period of intense fasting, this Sunday reminds us of our need for God’s forgiveness and guides our hearts, minds, and spiritual efforts on returning to Him in repentance.

Biblical Story

The Sunday of Forgiveness, the last of the preparatory Sundays before Great Lent, has two themes: it commemorates Adam’s expulsion from Paradise, and it accentuates our need for forgiveness. There are obvious reasons why these two things should be brought to our attention as we stand on the threshold of Great Lent. One of the primary images in the Triodion is that of the return to Paradise. Lent is a time when we weep with Adam and Eve before the closed gate of Eden, repenting with them for the sins that have deprived us of our free communion with God. But Lent is also a time when we are preparing to celebrate the saving event of Christ’s death and rising, which has reopened Paradise to us once more (Luke 23:43). So sorrow for our exile in sin is tempered by hope of our re-entry into Paradise.

The second theme, that of forgiveness, is emphasized in the Gospel reading for this Sunday (Matthew 6:14-21) and in the special ceremony of mutual forgiveness at the end of the Vespers on Sunday evening. Before we enter the Lenten fast, we are reminded that there can be no true fast, no genuine repentance, no reconciliation with God, unless we are at the same time reconciled with one another. A fast without mutual love is the fast of demons. We do not travel the road of Lent as isolated individuals but as members of a family. Our asceticism and fasting should not separate us from others, but should link us to them with ever-stronger bonds.

The Sunday of Forgiveness also directs us to see that Great Lent is a journey of liberation from our enslavement to sin. The Gospel lesson sets the conditions for this liberation. The first one is fasting—the refusal to accept the desires and urges of our fallen nature as normal, the effort to free ourselves from the dictatorship of the flesh and matter over the spirit. To be effective, however, our fast must not be hypocritical, a “showing off.” We must “appear not unto men to fast but to our Father who is in secret” (vv. 16-18).

The second condition is forgiveness—“If you forgive men their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you” (vv. 14-15). The triumph of sin, the main sign of its rule over the world, is division, opposition, separation, hatred. Therefore, the first break through this fortress of sin is forgiveness—the return to unity, solidarity, love. To forgive is to put between me and my “enemy” the radiant forgiveness of God Himself. To forgive is to reject the hopeless “dead-ends” of human relations and to refer them to Christ. Forgiveness is truly a “breakthrough” of the Kingdom into this sinful and fallen world.

Icon of the Feast

The icon of the Sunday of the Last Judgment incorporates all of the elements of the parable from Matthew 25:31-46. Christ sits on the throne and before him the Last Judgment takes place. He is extending his hands in blessing upon the Theotokos on his right, and John the Baptist on his left. Seated on smaller thrones are the Apostles, represented by Peter and Paul, a depiction of the words of Christ in Matthew 19:28. (1.)

The icon shows Adam and Eve standing before Jesus Christ. Prior to their descent into sin through disobedience, Adam and Eve were blessed with a beautiful relationship of communion and fellowship with God. However, they were tempted by the devil appearing in the form of a serpent to disobey God and eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:15-17).

When they took of the fruit and sinned, they realized that they were naked. Further, when “they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden”…they hid themselves “from the presence of the Lord” (3:8). The icon shows Adam and Eve attempting to cover themselves with fig leaves as they try to hide, and yet they stand ashamed before the Lord.

Because of their disobedience the Lord expelled them from the garden. The icon shows the Archangel of the Lord directing them out of Paradise, through the gate of Eden where God placed “the cherubim and a sword flaming and guarding the way to the tree of life” (3:23-24). Adam and Eve are dressed in the garments of skins made for them by God (3:20).

Glory to Jesus Christ!

I'm in New Jersey for the Seminary accreditation site visit Monday, 3/11-Thursday, 3/14. Please pray that all goes well for the visit. In case of emergency, please call Fr Christopher.

In Christ,

Fr Gregory

This Week at Ss Cyril & Methodius

Monday, March 11-Thursday, March 14

• Fr Gregory in New Jersey 

Wednesday, March 13

• 11:00 AM-3:00 PM: Office Hours/Confessions [canceled]

Thursday, March 14

• 2:00-5:00 PM: Office Hours/Confessions [canceled]

Saturday, March 16

• 3:00 PM: Catechumen Class
• 4:00 PM: Choir Rehearsal
• 5:00 PM: Great Vespers
• 6:00 PM: Confessions

Sunday, March 17: Forgiveness Sunday (Cheesefare Sunday)

• 9:00 AM: Hours & Precommunion Prayers
• 9:30 AM: Divine Liturgy
• 11:00 AM: Forgiveness Vespers

Looking Ahead

Monday, March 18

• 9:45-11:00 AM: OCF Day of Prayer
• 2:00 PM- 5:30 PM: Office Hours/Confessions
• 6:00 PM: Canon of St Andrew

Tuesday, March 19

• 2:00 PM- 5:30 PM: Office Hours/Confessions
• 6:00 PM: Canon of St Andrew

Wednesday, March 20

• 2:00 PM- 5:30 PM: Office Hours/Confessions
• 6:00 PM: Presanctified Liturgy

Thursday, March 21

• 2:00 PM- 5:00 PM: Office Hours/Confessions
• 6:30 PM: Canon of St Andrew & OCF Meeting

Saturday, March 23

• 3:00 PM: Catechumen Class
• 4:00 PM: Choir Rehearsal
• 5:00 PM: Great Vespers
• 6:00 PM: Confessions

Sunday, March 24:  Sunday of Orthodoxy

• 9:00 AM: Hours & Precommunion Prayers
• 9:30 AM: Divine Liturgy
• 4:00 PM: Pan-Orthodox Vespers and Reception

Hymns After the Small Entrance

 Tone 8 Troparion (Resurrection)

Thou didst descend from on high, O Merciful One! Thou didst accept the three day burial to free us from our sufferings!//O Lord, our Life and Resurrection, glory to Thee!

Tone 4 Troparion (Ss  Cyril and Methodius)

Divinely-wise Cyril and Methodius, / equals-to-the-apostles and teachers of the Slavs, / entreat the Master of all / to strengthen all nations in Orthodoxy and unity of mind, / to grant peace to the world and to save our souls.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,

Tone 3 Kontakion (Ss  Cyril and Methodius)

Let us honor the sacred pair, who translated divine scripture / pouring forth a fountain of divine knowledge from which we still draw today. / Now as you stand before the throne of the Most-high / we call you blessed, Cyril and Methodius, / as you fervently pray for our souls.

now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Tone 6 Kontakion (from the Lenten Triodion)

O Master, Teacher of wisdom, Bestower of virtue, Who teachest the thoughtless and protectest the poor, strengthen and enlighten my heart! O Word of the Father, let me not restrain my mouth from crying to Thee: “Have mercy on me, a transgressor,//O merciful Lord!”

Epistle: Romans 13:11-14:4

for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.

Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things. For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables. Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him. Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand.

Gospel:  Matthew 6:14-21

“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

“Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

++++++++++++++++++++++

Communion Hymn

Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise Him in the highest!

Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

By the age of 25, about 60% of those baptized as infants will no longer consider themselves members of the Orthodox Church. A parish on a university campus is an important witness not only to the surrounding community but also to high school age and younger parishioner. Establishing a parish on the campus of the University of Wisconsin-Madison helps remind young people that graduating high school doesn't mean "graduating" from the Church. Please consider joining those who have committed their time, treasure and talent in establishing an Orthodox community on the Isthmus.

Please help us reach your children and grandchildren with the Gospel of Jesus Christ by clicking the gofundme link.